This invention relates to a baling press used in compressing loose material into a predetermined size, and particularly to such a press which is useful in producing compressed bales of synthetic polymeric materials from loose tacky synthetic crumb. The use of hydraulic baling presses for this general purpose has been well known. However, whenever such a press is utilized as part of a continuously operating production facility, it is essential that maintenance repair or operations to the press be made as simple as possible in order to minimize down time of the entire facility. In particular, where certain parts of the press are subjected to wear due to friction, etc., it is desirable to provide wear strips and/or cavity liners that can be replaced without completely disassembling the press and machining these expensive parts. Available presses do utilize replaceable parts; however, insufficient attention has been given to the accessibility of these wear strips, or liner pieces, for replacement purposes. Thus, in many cases it is still necessary to disassemble the press partially in order to make a rather minor replacement of wear strips or of the liner for the press cavity.
Additionally, the size of the prime movers needed to power the hydraulic pumps used in such a baling press has presented a problem from the standpoint of expense. If it were desired to utilize a relatively low horsepower motor as a power source, a high pressure/low volume pump would have to be used. While such a pump is capable of supplying hydraulic fluid at the requisite high pressure, its low volume capacity makes high speed press operation impossible.
Another problem with prior art baling presses is their speed of operation. Typically the bolster performing compression of the crumb material reciprocates vertically. With such an arrangement the loose crumb material is loaded into the press cavity prior to compression through the same orifice used to discharge the compressed material. This "muzzle loading" technique requires a retractable chute to be used to supply the loose crumb material to the press cavity through the single orifice. The chute is then retracted so as to allow discharge of the compressed material. Such an arrangement unnecessarily complicates the press structure and slows press operation.